


Growing Pains (Super Human Edition)

by MikaOtter



Series: Two of a Kind [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: (or tries to be), Adopted Michelle Jones, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Awesome Michelle Jones, Awkward Peter Parker, BAMF Michelle Jones, Ben Parker Dies, But that's only for a HOT second, Can you tell?, Good Friend Ned Leeds, Human Disaster Peter Parker, I love Michelle Jones, Michelle Jones Has Powers, Michelle Jones Is Spider-Man, Michelle Jones Is a Good Bro, Michelle Jones Was Adopted By The Morales Familiy, Michelle Jones as a Super Hero, Michelle Jones is a Little Shit, Michelle Jones-centric, Oscorp - Freeform, Peter Parker is a Good Bro, Peter Parker is a Little Shit, Peter Parker is a Mess, Peter Parker-centric, Possibly Pre-Slash, Pre-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Pre-Spider Bite Peter Parker, Pre-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Precious Peter Parker, Sick Peter Parker, Super Power Growing Pains, Teen Peter Parker, Teenage Dorks, but it's also
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:20:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23240863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MikaOtter/pseuds/MikaOtter
Summary: In a world of aliens, Norse gods, Super Soldiers, geniuses and heroes, where do the lives of two teenagers fit into the scheme of it all?OR The One Where Peter Parker wasn't the only one to get powers, that day.
Relationships: Michelle Jones & Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Michelle Jones & Peter Parker, Ned Leeds & Peter Parker
Series: Two of a Kind [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1671004
Comments: 15
Kudos: 49





	1. Mouth So Sharp and Cruel

**Author's Note:**

> *deep inhale* way to much time. Way to many WIPS. To many ideas I have for other series. But guess what? This is the one I'm able to pump out the most content for- and there's already uhh,, about 7k more words of pre-written stuff for this? Oops? BUt guess hwat. We're in Quarantine/Self-Isolation, so I know we all need something to take our mind off it. Oh, also the title for the chapter comes from the song Tongues and Teeth by Crane Wives.

Michelle liked to think she had common sense, and intelligence. Judging the reaction of her peers and teachers alike, she considered it as a near fact. How else would she have been privileged enough to be granted one of the rare full-ride scholarships to Midtown School of Science and Technology? Which brought up her next point: Peter Parker. Another Freshmen who received the Scholarship. Despite his quiet nature, the boy could tend to be awfully loud around that friend of his, Ned Leeds. It would be easy to see Peter and forget him, it wasn’t so much that he blended into the crowd, but, if you put him in a lineup of all the white boys in a Starbucks, chances are he’d look identical to at least three.   
  


Despite this, he was..Intriguing. She liked considering her observation of the boy merely a case study (Not stalking, thank you very much). Peter, he was..Infuriatingly kind. And outgoing. And intelligent. Her biological parents- she tensed at the thought of them- had moved around a lot. On the occasions they’d buckle down somewhere long enough they deemed it worthy to enroll her in public school, it didn’t take time to learn that those traits oftentimes didn’t draw the fondest reaction from their classmates.

You’d figure that, as this is a STEM school, it’d be different. Considering one Eugene Thompson is in attendance, you’d assume incorrectly.

She began her observation of the Parker boy on her third day of school. Michelle was propped up against a series of lockers and the doorway, her legs tucked near her chest as she checked her phone, rolling her eyes at the series of text her adoptive younger brother had sent her.

Her intrigue wasn’t caught until she heard a hand slam against the locker. Her head shot up, turning towards the source of the noise. And there Flash Thompson was, with his hand slammed behind a short boy with a curly mop of hair.

“You need to learn quickly around here, Parker, that I don’t appreciate being interrupted.” Eugene. spat out, glaring daggers at the newly dubbed Parker.

The brunette boy’s breath hitched, as his friend beside him stilled in place in shock. “And you, Flash, need to learn that I really don’t appreciate you harassing my friend.” He stammered out, his voice shaking.

Michelle scowled. This lil punk of a kid shouldn’t be out here trying to fight other people’s battles. Michelle pulled herself to her lanky legs, yanking her bag back over her shoulders as she neared the scene.

“What, was what I said wrong? He needs to grow the hell up! Imagine having your mommy walk you to the door, in high school” The Thompson boy sneered. “Flash, just leave Peter alone! We have class!” The boy- seemingly the target of Eugene’s harassment, spoke up. “A teacher’s gonna catch you!”

Before Eugene could open his mouth again, Michelle cut him off. “How about you knock your shit off, Eugene? Not everyone has Mommies and Daddies that are so busy working that they can pay their kids way out of doing actual work.” Michelle seethed, her arms crossed. It was these moments that Michelle relished in being an above-average-height girl, as she stood there, towering above the 5’6 boy. She fought against a smug smirk, as that’d be inappropriate in this scenario.

The boy, Peter, slipped away, gripping onto his friend’s arm, the other boy entranced between Michelle and Flash, as if expecting a fight. Peter managed to yank the boy away, and they swiftly exited the scene.

Flash scoffed, easily appearing nervous upon being called out on his bullshit. This time Michelle didn’t even attempt to stop her small smirk, as she noticed his clammy hands. “That’s what I thought, Eugene.” And with that, she had exited the scene.

After the encounter, Michelle couldn’t stop spotting the new Peter kid everywhere. And she had the coincidence of sharing not one, not two, but four periods with him. He was an interesting kid, what could she say? Who else would stop that kid from being pummeled to death by schoolyard bullies?

Not only did they share multiple class periods, but they shared a lunch period, as well. After receiving her tray, she wandered around the cafeteria. When her adoptive family had found out she ate alone in the hallway, they hadn't quite managed to mask their disappointment. Their son was far too outgoing, and welcoming, being nearly the opposite of the girl. She grudgingly agreed she'd sit in the cafeteria today, at least. And so the hunt for a table began.

It seems she lucked out upon spotting the near empty table. She strides right towards the table, not moving for the people around her as she walked in a "murder strut" ( _ thanks Tumblr _ ). As she neared the table, she swiftly recognized the only two occupants. The Parker kid, and his friend who she discovered was Leeds.

Stone faced, she continued her way to the table, and sat on the side opposite to the boys. Peter stopped his rambles, and Michelle could feel both Peter and Ned's bewilderment. Michelle went on, wordlessly pulling a thick book from her bag.

It was quiet for a moment, as Peter and Ned whisper shouted and mouthed words back and forth. Eventually it was Peter who spoke up. "Um..Hi, there? Er..thanks- for you know, earlier? You're the girl that helped, right?" He stumbled through his words, fidgeting with the frame of his well worn, taped together glasses.

Michelle ever so slightly lowered her book, to stare down the boys with a surveying gaze. "Yeah."

Quiet loomed over them for another moment. It seemed it was the Leeds kid's turn to talk. "We both really appreciate it. I'm Ned. That's Peter!" The boy smiled, his foot tapping with unease at the girl's intense stare. "I know." She deadpanned, before pulling her book closer to her.

Peter fidgeted, as he glanced between his friend and the girl in confusion

"Um, can we, maybe, get your name?" He stammered, because  _ seriously, what the hell is up with this girl? _

She sighed grudgingly, rolling her eyes as she poked at the monstrosity the school dared claim to be mac 'n cheese with her fork. "Michelle." She said plainly, as she fidgeted with her utensil.

The boys slowly nodded, feeling slightly more at ease. Gradually they found themselves sinking back into their conversation, as they debated on what the school's infamous yearly trip the Chemistry class takes. 

"If it's Stark Industries," Ned started, "I'd cry." He declared, as he chugged the remnants of his chocolate milk. Peter chuckled, nodding along.

  
  


Yeah, it most definitely wasn't Stark Industries. But that didn't make the boys any less enthusiastic as they wandered off the bus to be greeted with the Oscorp towering building.

Michelle scowled as she sulked off the bus _. Stark Industries might descend from rich white war mongers, but at least they have Pepper Potts _ .  The Pepper Potts, who strikes the fear of god into businessmen, and vocally advocates that the gap in wages for gender still very much exists, and donates hundreds of thousands in sponsorship so women and people of poverty can attend college.

All Oscorp has is a stuffy old man who supports animal testing. Her nose scrunched at the thought, as she grudgingly followed the crowd trailing after the supervisor.

They've probably only got a quarter left of the tour, and, well, Peter should've known better. He really should've, but the door was wide open! Sure, he knows he wasn't supposed to trail far from his buddy, let alone the chaperone, but the door was open! All he could see from the outside were tanks upon tanks of uniquely patterned, exotic spiders and insects. So he wondered in- sue him! He's 14, he could be doing worse things than going through an open door!

Peter slips away wordlessly, his eyes widened in awe, and a shiver ran down his spine. What is this? He couldn't help but let his mind wander as he slowly wandered around the room.

Halfway across the room, he freezes in place. There's a web in the corner of the room, probably as large as his torso. His lungs block for a moment in fear.

As the boy stood, un-moving, it went unbeknownst to him that evidence of the companies crime lingered above him. The air vent upon the ceiling closed, as it entered a silent security lock down mode- god forbid if it got out their experiments escaped. In fear, the spider lunged from the ceiling, dropping onto Peter's neck.

A shiver ran roughly down his spine, followed by a large ting of pain, as if someone glued two knives to a clothespin and clipped it on his back. He hissed out in pain, smacking the perpetrator on his neck, before looking around.

Next thing the boy knew, Michelle had bounded into the room. "Parker! Don't stray from the tour, loser. That's how you get suspended." She hissed quietly, surveying the room for security measures. As she stomps up to him, she freezes for a moment as a similar pinch of pain surged on her arm. She shook her harm, mumbling cusses as she cradled her arm for a moment.

  
  


"Michelle! You okay?" Peter fumbled, scurrying towards her. "Did you get that pain, too? I think a spider bit me.." He mummered.

She waves him off, forcing herself to stand up a little straighter. "I'll survive. Now let's get outta here, loser. If someone asks, we went to find a bathroom and were lost, got it?" She whisper shouted, dragging him out with her good arm.

"Got it, got it.." He mumbled, stumbling over his own legs as she swiftly dragged him to rejoin the group.

Their absence went nearly unnoticed, with the exception of Ned. As soon as the pair turned the hallway and sped walked back towards the group, Ned peaked up from his phone. "Dude! Where were you? You good?" Ned exclaimed in a hushed tone ("hushed" for Ned's standard)

Peter waves him off, nodding. "Just got a lil lost, Man. Michelle found me." He whispered sheepishly to his friend, pushing up his glasses. Michelle huffed, lightly shoving Peter back to his friend. "Don't make me save your butt again, Parker." She hissed in his ear, before rushing away from them.

All else was peaceful, until the students rejoined at the bus. Ned and Peter were sat one seat away from the very back, they whispered back and forth to each other as the teacher did a head count. Michelle was sitting in front of them, her seat lonesome with the exception of herself. She turned around in her seat. "Parker, show me where you got hurt at." She huffed, a small first aid kit in hand.

Ned blinked in bewilderment, his eyes flicking from the large patch or a band-aid on her lower right forearm to Peter. "What happened?" He'd ask, his eyes scanning his friend for injuries, as he pulled up the boy's long sleeved, thin shirt to see if there has been a bruise or mark.

The smaller boy flinched pulling his arm away. "The loser knocked his head on a door knob when I opened a door and tripped him," Michelle swiftly lied, admittedly not one her best cover ups. "Got a nasty bruise ‘n a cut on his neck. Surprised he didn't get a concussion. Now show me, nerd."

Peter sighed, shifting in his seat, so his feet were propped onto the seating and his back against the hard backing to Michelle’s seat. Wordlessly, the girl wiped the few droplets of blood from the bite, and seeing as it was an open wound, decided there was not much more she could do, so simply patched it up with a band-aid with a cotton ball beneath it.

“Don’t be so dumb next time, Parker.” She scoffed,dropping back down into her seat. “Um..Thanks.” He’d mummer, sitting back down properly in his seat. He clutched onto the backing as he sat down, the bus bumping along the road.

“Dude, what was that?” Ned quietly hissed in Peter’s ear, his eyes wide. Peter shrugged, touching the back of his neck, wincing quietly.    
“I don’t know, man..”

  
  


After that day, neither would see each other for another two weeks. They both called in sick, the same day. 

In Brooklyn, Michelle sighed as she arrived at the disheveled apartment she called home. It was certainly cozy, she’d admit to herself. She tossed her bag by the door, glancing around. “Agh..Miles makes such a mess. How is that boy gonna be in high school, soon?” She grumbled. She slunk over towards the cabinet, only to be met with disappointment within it “I’m gonna kill that boy if he and those friends of his eat my cereal again..” She scowled, shaking the box which was practically empty.

She sighed, contemplating texting one of her adoptive parents. Grudgingly, she pulls her phone from her coat pocket, sending a quick message to Jefferson, asking him to pick up some more cinnamon toast crunch.

Huffing, she shoved her phone back into her pockets, and grabbed a simple granola bar from the pantry. As she reached forward to grab the box from the top shelf, she froze. From beneath the band-aid on her arm, she could see her veins pulsing and unnatural red. She cringed at the sight,and roughly yanked her hoodie sleeve back over her arm.

By the time either of the teens family could arrive home, the children were already sulking in their bedrooms, in pain.

  
  
  


When Miles had come home, Michelle was practically dead to the world. She’d been in her full sized bed,with her comforter pulled tightly around her and a secondary blanket on top of her. She was freezing, it felt like her arms were twitching, it felt like growing pains on crack. Her lights were off and she’d had her curtains drawn. When Miles slithered into her room, she literally hissed and threw a nearby book at the door and pulled her pillow over her ear- he could hear his blasting music from under her blankets.

Jefferson had arrived home shortly after the boy, with Cinnamon Toast Crunch at hand, he resigned himself already to sibling bickering (if judging by Miles' vague text of “MJ is acting like a feral dog again” is anything to go off of) only to be met with relative silence. By the time Rio had ended her shift at the hospital, MJ had gone through her entire box of cereal and was grumbling in pain in her book. Rio had managed to take a good portion of The Week from Hell off for the girl, and the days she couldn’t then Jefferson would stay with her until Miles could come home. It was a system they managed to work by, and they survived.

  
  


When Peter had returned to the school, he managed to snag a ride from Ned’s parents, came home, worked on homework, and waited for Ben to come home so they could get to work on making May dinner. 

He continued his life like normal, after the trip. The spider bite barely lingering in the back of his head, as he trudged his way up the stairs, quietly cussing out the out of order elevator. He dodged his way through the hallways, people leaving or coming home from work, or school, or lunch. Politely he waved to them before quietly sighing in relief as he reached the sanctuary of the apartment.

Throwing off his shoes by the entrance, he sat his bag on a counter, before washing his hands and grabbing a PopTart. Shuffling his school folder from the bag, he slunk over towards the well-worn and withered couch, plopping down with a tired sigh.

He hissed out in pain, sitting up straighter, as he rubbed the back of his neck. A shiver ran down his spine. He glanced about the apartment, squinting at the thermostat. He sighed, shifting his weight. He pushed on, working on his homework wordlessly. After a while, he could barely keep his head up.

Retreating to the bathroom, Peters pulled off his shirt, checking the wound on his neck in the mirror. He sighed, peeling the band-aid off, wincing at the sight. “Yep, it’s infected..Lovely.” He sighed, dropping the bandied in the bin as he twisted to view the wound, blue and puffy, his veins visible. He shivered at the sight .

When Uncle Ben had arrived home, the boy was already asleep. Peter slept through most of the week, in fact. he couldn’t stand the light of his room. Everything was too loud, too cold, too bright. He felt like his skull was being stood on by an elephant. He never felt that ill in his life- which- for a frequently sick kid with a weak immune system, was concerning to say the least. 

Uncle Ben and Aunt May had debated the following days if they needed to bring the boy to the hospital, if they could afford it, if they could even manage to get the teen to stand. They had no choice but continue work, with taxes weighing down on them. So they simply took extended lunch breaks at the apartment and attempted to feed the boy. Oddly enough, he continued having an appetite throughout it, after the first one or two days- usually more hungry than he typically is, in fact.

  
  


Michelle was the first of the pair to recognize any oddities. The Field Trip, having been on a Friday, gave her a solid 6 days of being sick. She was thrilled her adoptive dad had allowed her to stay at home that Friday, despite her visible improvement. She still remained in her room, though. Despite feeling better, physically, her eyes were having issues adjusting to lights. She was able to be in them anymore, without any physical pain, but she most certainly wasn’t a fan of looking out the window at the moment. 

But, she’d take what she could get, and if what she had was good enough to allow her to finally sit and read, then she’d take it. Now it was a matter of finding where her current book she was reading could be. 

She was digging under her bed, checking the small gap between her wall and bed, under the milk crates of clothes, any place she could think of.

In the middle of digging under her pile of sheets, she shot up, a thought struck her of its location. She turned towards her desk, her arm outreached, before her whole world changed. Something just came out of her wrist. _What. The. Fuck._


	2. Finally We're Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was all okay, until it wasn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mild deceptions of violence, semi-minor character death, and some teen angst! Be sure to bookmark the series for more, this will all be broken up into arcs. So far the timeline goes:
> 
> Growing Pains: 2 Part story, takes place in September Freshman year-Ben's Death December.  
> Untitled: 1-3? part story, Mourning, entering The Vigilante scene in January. Chapter one almost finished.  
> Untitled 2: Getting a hang of it, adjusting to life with secret identities, etc. Unknown amount of chapters.  
> Untitled 3: May/April Civil War time baby....
> 
> Today's chapter is titled with a lyric from "My Idea of Fun" by Wingnut Dishwashers Union

When Peter woke in the afternoon, a week after the field trip, he finally felt well enough that he could, at least, open his eyes again. He felt as if his whole life had shifted.

He sighed, rubbing at his eyes, before staring up at the top of his bunk bed, internally yelling at himself to get up and find his glasses. He stared on for a moment, before freezing, his eyes widening. Why wasn’t his vision blurry? Did he sleep with his glasses on again?  _ Surely that couldn’t be it _ \- he thought as he patted his face for his glasses.

He shot up straight, glancing around in confusion. His mouth went dry, as he quietly shook his head. He figured that, perhaps, it was a hormonal thing. Maybe it’s normal. So he threw off his layers of comforters and blankets he had stolen from the living room (despite still feeling absolutely freezing) only to be met with another shock.

Apparently, it seems his thick sweatshirt had rolled up during his tossing and turning in his covers. Apparently, he also has abs now. “What the hell?!” He hissed, throwing his hand over his mouth.

Peter is definitely, absolutely, 100% sure he didn't start off the week with abs. What the fuck. Was he exercising in his sleep? _ Is that a thing? Is it even possible for a scrawny high school freshmen to get abs? _ He attempted to force down his jittery nerves, as he pulled on his hair. 

“This is fine, Peter! I mean- what is there to complain about? This is..Normal, I’m sure. Or it’s a dream, and I’ll wake up and I can laugh about this good’ol experience..” He anxiously chuckled to himself, before he slowly lowered his hands from his head, before a shiver went down his spine as he graced against where the red mark on his neck previously was.

His mouth went agap. He closed it, and then opened it again. Repeating that process for a few times, Peter attempted to string his thoughts together.  _ Could it have been the bite? _ Those spiders, like most of the insects, were experimented on. Were going through testing. Even just by the colors, a non-animal expert could tell they weren’t quite like other spiders.

Peter was now clutching onto his old tattered comforter, before shaking his head. Google was his friend. He just needed to get up, and find that thrifty laptop of his.

Peter went to pull himself out of bed. As he jumped out and went to run towards his old desk, he felt a rough shiver run down his spine, his hairs standing on end, followed promptly by him face-planting onto the floor. He was never more glad that his Aunt May had made him clean his room before any field trip, or he would’ve lost his eyesight as quickly as he gained it (Legos are death machines, apparently.)

Looking around in bewilderment, Peter searched for what tripped him. His comforter was stuck to him, the other end, still on the bed weighed down by his book-bag, which he’d thrown down at that spot a week ago.

Eyes widened, Peter investigated the blanket stuck to him. He had no accessories on his wrist it could be stuck to, and, last he checked, electricity didn’t work like this. Thinking he was doing the obvious, Peter went to give it a dug, to see what was stuck on him- assuming there’s a ginger ale stain, or even dayquil spilled onto the blanket, despite not feeling any such stickiness on his skin. 

When he pulled on the blanket, he quickly came to the realization that, somehow, some why, the blanket is now stuck to that hand, too. 

Growing frustrated, Peter gave the blanket a rough pull. He really thought it wasn’t that rough- but, apparently that’s all it took to rip an edge of the comforter straight off. Well, fuck, add that to the list of shit to do before Ben and May get home.

Well, at least now he only had part of a blanket stuck to him. Peter could feel his anxiety tugging down at him, and he forced himself to take a deep breath. “Okay, Peter! Just. Calm down. Relax. Think of a way out of this.” He mummered.

Closing his eyes, Peter continued to take deep breaths, attempting to relax himself. He couldn’t afford to grow angry with this situation, he needed to figure this out, fix his comforter, find some food and do a week's worth of homework!

In some sort of a miracle, relaxing and soothing down his anxieties is apparently what it took for the piece of comforter material to drop. “Good to know..” He muttered, pulling himself to his feet. So, he was sure that growing a magnetic body is  _ not _ something that comes with some sorta secondary puberty. That one he’s certain about.

As he mused to himself, Peter could hear his phone let off a notification. He picked up the phone from it’s side table, to be greeted with a message from an unknown member. Peter’s face had scrunched up in confusion. “Was this all a prank, or something?” He muttered, attempting to reason, as he pulled up the message.

_ Unknown number: _

_ Loser. It’s Michelle, Michelle Jones. You got sick from the trip, too. Didn’t you? _

Peter blinked, staring down at the screen.  _ Should I lie? What if she got the powers, too. Oh Gods.. That’d make this a lot, lot easier. _ “What if she didn’t, though? Maybe she just got sick and that’s it!” He muttered to himself, as he internally argued.

He plopped down on his cheap computer chair, found at the side of the road, as he spun. He pulled himself closer to the table, pulling out a notebook.

Switching apps on his phone, he pulled up the gallery. He’d taken a quick picture of a board he saw while on the trip. An equation he noticed that had a wrong answer. For some reason, math tended to smooth his anxiety, and that’s what he needed at the moment. So he grabbed a pencil, and began copying down the basics, ignoring the text as he continued to argue with himself, muttering his thoughts aloud.

“This is stupid, Parker. She probably didn’t get powers. She was probably bitten by a different, normal spider. Or one that wasn’t normal but didn’t give powers. Maybe I don’t even have powers- maybe it was just..freak luck. Adrenaline causes strength. There could be a reasonable explanation for it sticking- and for me being able to rip it. This is normal, Peter.”

He continued rambling on, grumbling as the pencil scratched against the paper, the scraping on the paper grating at his nerves. He pinched the pencil tighter, growing frustrated with himself, before  _ snap _ . The pencil cracked in half. He hardly did anything- come on! “What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck..” He muttered under his breath, his leg bouncing.

Unable to stand the anticipation weighing him down, he went to spin his chair at full speed to grab his phone from his bed. Apparently his full speed was a little too much, considering his chair fell over on top of him. So he brushed it off, leapt up and retrieved his phone.

_ Me: _

_ help please oh god _

_ Unknown number: _

_ I can feel your anxiety from here, Parker. We’re cutting the shit. Weird shit’s happening to you, too? _

_ Me: _

_ i don’t know wht u mean _

_ Unknown number: _

_ Yeah, right.  _

_ Unknown Number: _ _   
_ _ (Inthreaded image) _

Peter stared at the text for a moment, before clicking on the download link to the image. He tapped his foot impatiently, scared that if he had tapped his phone he’d somehow manage to shatter it. When his phone had managed to at last load, it revealed a photo of..Michelle’s arm?

Upon further inspection, a thin white thread was seemingly imitating her wrist. The thread ran all the way along till it met an object, where it splattered into a much crisper spiderweb with the iconic pattern of a woven web, clung to a book titled Unknown Destination sat upon her desk- or half on her desk, considering it’s now stuck dangling on it’s side infuriatingly with the web pulling it nearly off the surface. And, well, and- well,  _ what the fuck what the fuck- _

_ Me: _

_...meet u at the park by school???? _

_ Unknown Number: _

_ Fine. See you in no more than an hour. If you don’t fucking come, I can and will track you down like a bloodhound, Parker. _

Well, isn’t she nice?

A shiver ran down his spine. “Jeez..Why is it so cold?” He muttered, glancing about his messy room. And he was gonna have to walk to the park. In New York. in Fall.  _ Yippee! _

So, of course, the teen ended up leaving with a thin long sleeved shirt he found under his bed, a red flannel covering it, and a thick blue sweatshirt over top of that with jeans. He was fucking _ cold _ , okay?

Walking out of his messy room, he peered into the apartment, before turning towards the clock. He had about three or four hours till Ben would get home. Figuring he has sufficient time, he sipped on his tattered red converses, one of his favorite finds from the local thrift store, and left the apartment for the first time in a week.

Shoveling his hands into his pockets, he walked down the sidewalk at a swift pace, anxiety seeping through him as he tapped at his side. His eyes widened slightly, remembering the..Sticky, side effects that come with his anxiety.

Forcing himself to take a deep breath, Peter continued down the street. By the time he had managed to stride into the park. Michelle was sat on the first bench, layered in clothing as well.

Michelle had, to put it nicely, slipped into a bitch-panic-denial mode. Upon the web of mysteries slowly forming, a gaggle of questions and theories forming in her head, she had of course swiftly texted the Parker kid. She is a woman of reason, afterall. 

As she stared at the web splattered on the book, a small strand leading up to her wrist, where the substance had clearly originated from, she had managed to connect some dots. Of course, the possibilities of this- ability, which had originated from the spider-bite was obvious. The only option. Mildly curious, she simply took a quick picture of the webbing, before pulling her wrist away sharply.

She watched as the thread from her wrist slowly fell to the ground. Her nose was scrunched, as she watched in mild disgust. And interest. Mostly of interest, frankly.

And she did what any teenager would do. Check her phone. Having spent most of her time asleep, or eating- she had neglected her phone severely. She had several texts- mostly originating from the AecDec team’s group chat.

Rolling her eyes, she went to investigate. Scrolling to the least recent notification, it was a message from their team captain. A Junior named Liz. It was simply an update on the state of the team- how our new team members, _ Peter Parker and Michelle Jones, are sadly both out of school sick today, so the practice has been rescheduled..  _

Interesting. Fucking. Interesting.

Call her overconfident. Of course she showed him a picture of her weird ass web. He was being too weird  _ not _ to also have similar issues. So, yeah, she left her apartment to go meet him, with a short text to her adoptive dad of how she’s going out to pick up soup for herself, and how she’s feeling much better. All that bs.

As Peter approached the girl, she sat her book down on her small drawstring bag next to her. She was dressed with a thick baggy sweater the shade of eggnog, with light grey washed jeans, and black legging peaking beneath the rips of the jeans.

“Get over here, Parker.” She scoffed, pushing her book- Unknown Destination, the same book from the photo, into her bag. Scurrying over to her, Peter fidgeted in his shoes, a size too big.”Michelle, please tell me I’m not the only one freaking out?” He whispered under his breath.

His nails were digging into his palm. New York was so loud. It never has felt this loud before. He could hear the whirring engines of the cars. The sound of items rolling beneath the seats of the old truck rocklily making its way down the street behind him. The buzz and whir of an old glowing sign.

As soon as Michelle had her bag slung over her shoulder, she gripped onto the boy, dragging him along. “We’re stuck dealing with this bullshit together now, Parker. Call me MJ.” She huffed grudgingly.

Peter barely avoided tripping over his own feet, as the girl pulled him along. “Where are we going?” He hissed. “We’re walking and talking. We’re not being suspicious characters. Anyone for some reason asks what we’re doing, we’ve got a photography assignment. Got it?” She made eye contact with him, her eyes narrowed.

Putting his free hand up in defeat, Peter nodded along. “Okay! G-Got it!” He squealed out. MJ blinked for a minute, her eyes surveying him. “What happened to your glasses?” She spoke slowly, slowing her pace for a moment.

Blinking for a moment, dumbfounded, Peter patted the side of his face, in search of the arms of his glasses, before his eyes widened in remembrance. 

“Oh!” He exclaimed, startling a nearby flock of pigeons. He slammed his hand over his mouth for a moment, before piping up. “Yeah, uh, I woke up this morning and I guess I can see, now?” He shrugged, glancing off “I honestly forgot I didn’t have my glasses on. Everything is like, ten times clearer. It’s suuuper weird!”

MJ stared at him flabbergasted, before slowly nodding along. “Okay, yeah. We need to make a list of this..”

Tilting his head as the girl released his arm, he opened his mouth to speak before he was cut off. “A list of these oddities, Loser.” She sighed, pulling a small notebook from her bag, about pocket size.

  
She scribbled down two columns, MJ and Peter.

“Right, so, I’ve got webs. You’ve got improved vision.” She spoke in a hushed breathy tone, most people couldn’t hear her even if they were directly next to her. Of course, Peter isn’t just any person anymore, and neither is the girl. “We both got hearin’ it seems..” He hummed quietly, fidgeting with his shirt collar.

“Right..” She nodded along, sighing. “How are we gonna test this?” She turned, her eyes narrowing skeptically on the boy. Peter slouched, averting his eyes. “Er..I don’t know, I don’t think there’s a Wikihow page for this.” He remarked, attempting to pursue a lighter mood.

She grumbled, rubbing her face. She began clicking the pen in her other hand. “Yeah, okay. I think we can mark down a higher metabolism too.” She muttered in thought. He blinked, his nose scrunching as he glanced off in thought. She scoffed, yanking up her sleeves. Not even a mark, or bruise where the bite once was. “Shit like that bite don’t just heal in a week, Parker.” His eyes widened, as he nodded, face palming with a groan.

“Yeah, but I’m still so tired. Everything hurts.” He sniffed, shoving his hands into the warmth of his jean’s pockets. “Your eyes and head feeling like hell, too?”

He nodded. “Yeppers..” He sighed, rubbing his temple, a shiver going down his spine at the cold touch of his face. “So, I think we can mark down some shit with sight, too.”

That’s how the remainder of their outing had gone. They bickered and sneered at each other for nearly another hour before taking off their ways for the day. 

* * *

That’s how nearly all their days had gone from there on. They met up anytime they could escape their families or after school, and met up. Sometimes in public to talk it out, sometimes it’d be on an abandoned apartment’s roof to actually practice what they theorized. It wasn’t perfect, but it was their system. And the system was working. Meet up, practice keeping it under check, and continue with their day. It was all going fine, until it wasn’t.

In unmarked clothes, Peter casually strolled into an alleyway nearly three months after the first outing. As soon as he was out of sight, he took a large lunge, and gripped onto the old rusting fire escape rails. He paced up the stairs, tucking his hands into his thick blue-grey hoodie pocket as a shiver went down his spine.

“Only 6PM and it looks so dark out..” He muttered, as he threw his legs over the roof’s edge and peered towards the girl, draped across an old concrete bench- if you could call that monstrosity that- propped against the sealed stairwell door.

“It ain’t that dark out,” The girl retorted. “It’s just freezing as Hell- which it has been, and will continue to be, since Oscorp.” She pulled herself up, and slammed her hardcover book shut. Peter shrugged, shifting his tote bag off his arm. “Same thing, basically. Anyway, I’ve got snacks, and I've rented some of the books on spiders you mentioned.” Peter offered up, holding one of the less thick books.

MJ had a contemplating look, as she surveyed the bag she nodded slowly. “Good. That being said, though, It’s been a week, and we still haven’t discussed one of the most looming questions.” 

For a moment, Peter stared back blankly at her. He opened his mouth, before closing it again. His brows knitted together. “What-” “What we should do with our abilities.” Michelle cut him off, standing up.

“We can pinpoint what our abilities are all we want- and nitpick, and debate on what powers we may or may not have- but bottom line? We have powers. With the way the political sphere is going, Peter, we could be in deep shit for having powers. Either we use them and help people, or we sit here and play. Either way we’ll end up in deep shit.”

Peter’s eyes flew open, as he stepped back. “I- Never said I wanted to be- a superhero- that’d be..Amazing, I want to help people- but we’re kids, MJ. I wanna learn how to use these powers with you- and I want to control them, but just..We’re not expected to do anything with them, why should we?” He stammered out, cringing at his own wording. More so when he saw Michelle’s glare harden as she cocked an eyebrow in a “oh, really?” expression.

“We should help people, Peter, because it’s the right thing to do. Jefferson’s a good dad and good officer, sure. Ben’s a good uncle and a good officer, but guess what? That’s fucking rare. Over one thousand young black men have been killed by officers in 2015 alone. Most crimes go unreported. The city needs some help, and for once? I can try to help people with more than just more words.” She seethed, her voice icy. “We could do the shitty officers' jobs, and help the good ones! It’s a win-win!” She scoffed.

Peter cowarded back for a moment. “MJ. I want to help- but- this isn’t our job, MJ. Take a breath. I’m..I want just- a chance, at a normal life..” He struggled to find the right words, as he shrunk back. Michelle flared in anger, and she crossed her arms. “Guess what? So did I, idiot! But clearly it’s a little too late for that, don’t’cha think?” She sneered.

The next thing Peter knows, he’s leapt five feet back and a splatter of webs were a foot off from where he once stood. “What part of this is normal? Organic webbing from a human, or weird predictive instincts?” Michelle hissed. ‘We can do something! Do something with- all this. Help people. Jefferson almost got shot yesterday, Peter!” She spat, a glimpse of how unnerved the girl truly is.

“Am I supposed to just- not go after the guy shooting at an actually innocent cop?” She continued, her fists clenching by her side. “What if that was your family? Huh?” She stepped closer, pointing accusatory at him.

The boy’s heart dropped for a moment, as he shook his head. “Nothing- Nothing is going to happen, okay? He’s okay. Ben and May are okay. Your foster parents are okay, everyone’s okay. Fixing the world isn’t our responsibility!” He sighed, feeling his anxiety pricking at him as his breath sped.

He took a breath, before shaking his head. “I’m going home. I’m glad Jefferson’s okay, MJ.” He pressed his lips into a small unnerved smile, before leaping down onto the fire escape.

  
  
  


When Peter reentered his apartment, he was met with Aunt May frantically pacing in the living room and speaking on the phone, with Ben by her side, dressed as if he was about to leave.

As soon as he stepped into the doorway, both of their heads snapped towards him. “Peter!” May rushed towards him. “Pete- where were you? Why weren’t you answering your phone?” Ben followed shortly behind her. Peter tilted his head, his brows knitting together as he slipped his old phone from his pocket, only to be met with a dead screen. “It’s dead- I’m sorry, though. I had to let Ned borrow my charger during school ‘n I completely forgot to plug it in during homework..” He began to ramble, before Ben put his hand up in a halt motion.

“Why were you out to begin with? You didn’t ask either of us, Peter.” Ben scolded, as May’s frantic gaze continued to survey the boy. “I was just out, is all. My classmate said she needed help for this weird surveying assignment in her-”

“You were alone with a girl?” May would be the one to cut in, her eyes widening. “Peter Benjamin Parker!” She squawked. Peter frantically waved his hands around. “No! It’s not like that!” He hissed, clenching his fists. ”Peter, you have to understand how bad that sounds that you snuck out, to go hang out with a girl-”

Peter quickly grew impatient, cutting off his uncle. “I was helping her with a school project! I’ve known her for hardly even three months! I do not like- not like that!!” His fists clenched by his side, as he glared daggers at his uncle and aunt.”You were out- with a girl, you've mentioned nothing about, without telling either of us, Peter!” May hissed.

“How would we know if you did something, or if she accuses you of something?” Ben, ever calm as he stood with his arms crossed. “I wouldn’t do that, I’m- You should know better than that! I’m not like that! And- MJ, most definitely would never!” Peter hissed. “It was a school project!” He insisted.

“Peter Parker. That is enough of raising your voice- if you're so innocent then you will sit, and we will discuss this-” “What is there to discuss? That I sat and answered questions for her assignment? What, have you suddenly lost all trust in me because, what, I’m in high school?”

“Because you’ve been sneaking out for months, Peter!” May spat, pointing accusatory at him. “Don’t act like we’re stupid! What have you been doing with that MJ girl? Pete, we thought you were hurt. I was going to go report you missing!”

Not able to deal with this conversation anymore, Peter went storming from the apartment.

The boy didn’t put much effort into getting away, but he still managed to push his way past the holy shabby lobby and into the darkening New York streets before his uncle had caught up with him.

“I didn’t do anything.” Peter sniffled, his hands roughly into his pockets. “I finally get more friends- and you guys are acting like it’s the end of the world ‘cause I spend time with her.” He grumbled, staring down at his feet.

“We weren’t mad at you for the fact you made a friend, Peter.” Ben soothed. “We’re all on edge. I know things have been an adjusting period, and stressful with all that school work to catch up on..We should’ve handled that better. But Peter, you have to understand our concerns.” Ben would attempt to reason.

Peter slouched in on himself, growing guilty. “I know-and- I know that’s no reason to snap at you or Aunt May, though..” He sniffled, kicking a bottle cap in his path, grimacing quietly.

“You guys know me better, though. We weren’t doing anything wrong, I- I promise..”   
_ Playing with superhuman mutations on and in abandoned buildings wasn't wrong, per-say, right?..Yeah, that was probably fine on some level of morality. _

Ben sighed, rubbing at his eyes. “I know, Peter. May and I were worried, it’s not like you to never answer your phone. And you know how crime has been in Queens lately, we were terrified.” Ben admitted, with a shrug.

Chuckling humorously, the corner of Peter’s lips inched up. “If someone tried something I think MJ would manage to scare’em off, she can be..Terrifying.” Peter snorted. “Not all that reassuring, Pete.” Ben elbowed him with a smirk.   
  


“May’s still a bit shaken. What’cha say we go to the corner store’ pick something up for her? Maybe even dinner- I don’t have the energy for it now.” Ben shrugged with a content half-grin as he trailed after Peter who continued his pacing.

Tilting his head in consideration for a moment, Pete nodded. “Okay..Yeah...I’m sorry, by the way-” Ben shook his head, holding up his hand. “It’s alright, Pete. You don’t need to apologize. I wasn’t a teen that long ago, I get the teen angst shtick.” His uncle would smirk. “Oh..Sorry-” “Peter.” “Ack- right, sorry- SHOOT-” Well, that certainly eased the tension.

  
  


Somehow it would be these few moments that would haunt Peter for the rest of his life, playing in loops and loops. They were simply having some idle humorous chatter, the boy feeling far more at ease as he swung his plastic bag of ‘i’m sorry teen angst is hard’ snacks. He was forced to partially tune his Uncle out, though. A robbery it sounded like, two or three alleyways ahead of them. 

Peter’s muscles were immediately stiffened, immediately sitting up straighter. He could hardly even notice the fact that he had halted his breathing. The hair on the boy’s neck stood on edge, his heart beating as frantically as a hummingbird as he attempted to force down his fight-or-flight instincts that were weighing down on him.

He took a quiet breath.  _ This is not my responsibility, this is not my responsibility _ echoed in his mind. They wouldn’t even go across that alleyway on their way home, it’d be fine. He forced what he hoped was an easy smile, turning back to his uncle to nod along to whatever story his uncle was in the middle of.

Before he would get the opportunity to catch up to speed with the story, they were turning down an alleyway. It was a shortcut, of course. Peter thought nothing of it. He ignored shivers on the back of his neck, and quietly huffed out a breath of relief. It sounds like the robbery was over. No one was hurt. He heard nothing, it was fine. Until it wasn’t.

It happened all so quickly, yet so impossibly slow at the same time. The sound of a pistol loading echoed behind them, and Ben’s head snapped towards the noise. There stood a man in a thick black mask, pasty white skin visible underneath it. “I want everything of value, now.” The man snarled, his gun aimed at Peter.

Ben’s hand stood in the air, pacifyingly. “Now, there’s no reason for this. You don’t gotta go around with that thing, alright, boy?” Ben took small steps forward, digging through his pockets. Peter’s breath was sharp and quick. Ben’s other hand, not currently digging for cash, was held back at him, indicating for Peter to stay behind him.

Before handing any money to the masked man, Ben lunged forward, wrestling the man against an arm. Peter jumped back at least six feet, his breath rabid.  _ Do I help? How do I help? Oh god- _

The thing Peter knew, it was too late. The echoing of a gunshot blasted. And the masked man booked it out, stumbling over his own feet. Ben’s breath hitched, as he stepped back, clutching onto a hole in his chest. “Ben!” Peter screamed, sprinting over. Before he reached him, en was already bent over on the ground.

“Ben- Ben, you’re gonna be alright I, I promise- I-” Peter sobbed, hot tears clouding his vision as he clutched onto his uncle, holding him close. “Why, Ben, Why? You should’ve- you should’ve just given him the money, Ben! I-”

“Peter.” Ben coughed, a shaky smile on his features. “It’s- It’s okay, Peter. I did what I had to do..That- He’s not gonna get away with this, Peter. It’s okay..” “Why, Ben? You didn’t- you didn’t have to do that! You didn’t accomplish anything!” Peter hissed. “I- I promised to protect you, Peter.” Ben croaked. “With..W-with Great power, comes..Great responsibility.”

It felt like a lifetime of clutching to the bloody body until the sirens echoed and the blinding lights colored the messy scene. It felt like he sat there in complete shock, staring down at his bloody hands. Of his hands covered with the blood of uncle. The mummering soft voices of the nurses was merely white noise to him, all he could hear was his uncle's words.

_ With great power comes great responsibility. With great power comes great responsibility. With great power comes great responsibility. With great power comes great responsibility...Great power- _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all i've spent months stockpiling writing for not one, not two, but *three alternate universes* i've been working on.  
> Comments are my bread and butter and I appreciate anyone who's bothered checking this out!!  
> <3333 Please let me know if there's any grammatical errors.  
> Imma be frank- I've only just watched all the MCU movies 2019. That's it. No cartoons, no nothing except for the good Hawkeye comics from like, 2012ish because I was DESPERATE to find something likable in him. If you think I should change the Uncle Ben scene let me know and give suggestions as to how because y'all I just wanted to publish something tbh


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